From prototype to market entry: by means of awsSeedfinancing Deep Tech, we bridge the financing gap of innovative start-ups, which develop high-technology products. And there’s more: we coach and advise start-ups and help you them to unlock additional sources of finance.
What do we fund?
Development phase to marketable product
Sector
Deep-Tech Start-upsG – e.g. Digitalisation, ICT, Physical Sciences, GreenTech, Quantum Technology, Life Sciences (Pharma/Biotech, Medtech incl. Digital Health)
Target group
Deep Tech Start-ups
Funding procedure/-instrument
Call | Grant
Volume
up to EUR 800,000
The maximum amount of funding can only be applied for if at least one woman is a future shareholder with more than 25% shares in the business and works in a management position. Otherwise the funding cap is EUR 700,000.
Project duration
2-5 years
Total contractual duration 9–12 years
Submission deadline
at any time
Approval period
several decision dates a year
Success rate
25 %
Sectors
Deep-Tech Start-ups – e.g. Digitalisation, ICT, Physical Science, Green Tech and Tech for Green, Quantum Technology, Life Science (Pharma/Biotech, Medtech incl. Digital Health)
Company size
Small enterprise with
- <50 employees
- <10 million euros annual turnover or balance sheet total
Development phase
Foundation phase: up to 5 years after formation of the start-up company
Requirements (extract)
- The application is submitted before the project starts.
- The business model is based on an exceptional technological and scientific challenge (technology leap).
- The company has large growth potential: several million euros in sales and financing rounds of at least EUR €5 million are realistic within the next few years.
- The team is innovative and committed, start-up driven and willing to take risks.
- The company must be independent pursuant to the EU definition of SME. Other companies shall have a maximum holding of 24.9%, and pure financial investors a maximum of 49.9%
- The criteria for the guideline and the guideline specifications, as well as GBER (General Block Exemption Regulation) are fulfilled.
- The budget of EUR 800,000 in Art. 22 GBER (General Block Exemption Regulation) has not yet been exhausted.
- You can find further information in the download area.
Digital Health Innovation Focus within the framework of Seedfinancing – Deep Tech
For deep-tech founders and deep-tech companies, which fulfil the seed financing requirements AND whose future product or service provision lies within the Digital Health sector.
Seed financing digital health innovation issues include:
- e-health: electronic patient records, telemedicine
- Digitally supported automation: robotics, sensor technology, 3D printing
- Patient self-treatment: wearables, social media, fitness
- Data: Internet of Things, big data, artificial intelligence
The application is made within the “aws Seedfinancing Deep Tech” program.
The maximum subsidy amount for this priority is:
EUR 100,000.
If at least one woman is a shareholder with more than a 25% share in the business and works in a management position, the maximum funding amount is increased by 15%, up to a maximum of EUR 115,000.
GREEN Seed Financing Focus:
For deep-tech founders and deep-tech companies, which fulfil the seed financing requirements AND whose future product or service provision lies within the action areas of the EU’s Green Deal.
GREEN Seed Financing topics include:
- Climate protection: climate-neutral design of EU by 2050
- Clean energy
- Sustainable industry: for sustainable and more environmentally-friendly production cycles
- Mobility: funding of environmentally-compatible transport
- Sustainable agriculture & from the yard to the table: guarantee of a more sustainable food chain
- Biodiversity: measures to protect our sensitive ecosystem
- Elimination of pollution: measures to rapidly and effectively combat pollution
- Buildings and renovation: need for a more environmentally-friendly construction sector
You can find more information in our FAQs.
The application is made within the “aws Seedfinancing” program.
Success rate
25%
- conditionally refundable grant
- Industry-specific consulting, intellectual property rights consulting and coaching
- Tapping into further sources of financing
Financing amount
- up to EUR 800,000
The maximum amount of funding can only be applied for if at least one woman is a future shareholder with more than 25% shares in the business and works in a management position. Otherwise the funding cap is EUR 700,000.
Duration
Project duration 4-7 years, of which disbursement period: 1–2 years, total contractual term 9–12 years
Eligible costs
- Costs directly related to a company start-up, e.g.
- Personnel costs
- tangible investments, e.g. machinery, goods, office furniture and equipment, structural measures, goods in stock
- intangible investments, e.g. patents, software, employee training
- Operating resources, e.g. rent, goods, materials
- Marketing and distribution costs.
- you can find further details on admissible costs in the guideline specifications and FAQs
Disbursement
You will receive the grant in tranches upon reaching predefined milestones.
Repayment
Repayable interest-free in case of profit or sale of the company or individual assets – within 9-12 years
Costs
none
Additional funding
- Costs of routine changes to existing products, manufacturing processes or services; non-specific building equipment
- Investments in equipment and facilities not directly related to the business purpose of the start-up (vehicles, land, real estate properties, non-specific building equipment, etc.)
- Costs for products or developments that conform to the latest technology or merely have the goal of gradual improvement (incremental innovations)
- Invoice documents under EUR 150, excluding VAT
- Costs incurred prior to application
- You apply for funding via the aws funding manager.
- We analyse the application based on content and formal criteria.
- We will invite you for a discussion if required.
- We decide whether you pitch your project to the external assessment panel.
- We jointly coordinate all necessary documents with you.
- Projects from the life science sector are reviewed in the assessment panel by the Ethics Council.
- You present your project to the external assessment panel (pitch).
We will inform you about our decision in any case
Detailed process (diagram) | detailed process (text)
Approval period
Depending on the dates of the assessment panel meetings, which are held several times a year.
Your contact:



Speakingpartner:
IKT & Engeneering Sciences: Dipl.-Ing. Paul Ullmann
Life Science: Eva Maria Schlintl, MSc
GREEN Seedfinancing: Ing. Karl Schiller